Majok struggles in debut

Hartford - From opening tip to the final minutes Sunday, freshman Ater Majok had a rocky UConn basketball debut.

Majok's disappointing day ended with coach Jim Calhoun yelling at him heading into a timeout with just over two minutes left in a 60-51 win over Central Florida.

"Get the (expletive) out!" Calhoun screamed.

Welcome to the UConn basketball family.

Starting at power forward, the 6-foot-11 Majok finished with one point and three rebounds in 16 minutes. He missed his only two field goal attempts.

"He certainly did not have the kind of debut he or I would have expected," Calhoun said. "Not that it was going to be spectacular, but certainly it could have been better. … He didn't look like he was ready to play."

Majok called it a learning experience.

"It's a step forward from here," Majok said. "I'm not disappointed but I'm not happy."

Majok played a sluggish seven minutes in the first half. The XL Center crowd gave him a nice ovation when making his first point - a free throw with 4:34 remaining.

But Majok did little else. He missed a 17-footer and failed to convert a put-back. Defensively, he struggled, too.

His emotions played a role his performance, Majok said.

"It was a little difficult because when I stepped out on the court in my mind I was like, 'Yeah, I'm finally here. I couldn't believe it.' But then as the game started, I tried relaxing and I realized that I can't play relaxed, that's not me. I'm an energy person. That's one thing that I learned about my game."

Majok also learned what happens when you make a mistake. Calhoun blasted Majok for getting lost on the offensive end. Majok says he couldn't hear point guard Kemba Walker's play call.

Calhoun's harsh words echoed throughout the XL Center.

"It's not every day that you hear him say that, but when you hear it, there's not much you can do about it," Majok said. "You've just got to step off the court and sit down and think about what you did. He's doing it for the best of us. There's nothing I can say. That's his way of telling us that I was wrong."

As motivation, Majok plans to watch a replay of Sunday's game over and over again.

Senior Gavin Edwards certainly knows how Majok feels. He's received several heavy doses of Calhoun's tough-love treatment during his career.

"I can definitely sympathize with him for getting called out like that with the whole arena dead quiet," Edwards said. "That's just coach. That's just the way it is. He's just trying to motivate you."

Finally on target

• UConn had its best shooting game this season from 3-point land, sinking 7 of 13. The Huskies entered the day converting 33.8 percent.

Senior Jerome Dyson hit 4-of-6 while Walker (1-for-3), Donnell Beverly (1-for-1) and Stanley Robinson (1-for-3) each made one.

"We were better but we just don't want to focus on being a three-point team because we're an all-around team," Robinson said.

UConn continues to struggle from the foul line, shooting 60.7 percent (17-for-28).

Calhoun on contract

• Calhoun responded to a question about his new contract that's in the works.

"It's right on the horizon," Calhoun said, "but I haven't signed anything. Maybe somebody else has. My wife signs all my checks ... maybe she has."

Calhoun is reportedly on the verge of signing a five-year contract. His current deal expires next June.

News and notes

• Beverly and freshman Darius Smith gave UConn a spark off the bench. Beverly had three points and three assists while Smith played well on defense and chipped in a steal, a point and a rebound in five minutes. … After starting the last five games, junior Charles Okwandu didn't play. Majok replaced him in the starting lineup. … UConn was outrebounded for the third time this season.